"A garden that pleases me is a garden…designed with deliberation" – David Hicks

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I can’t believe it’s already autumn. Time flies, as they say. So here’s what is happening in my garden.

While my Northern garden buddies are cutting back perennials and putting their gardens to sleep… I am enjoying an embarrassment of riches in the way of Camellia sasanqua blooms.

Some so profuse they look like cascading roses from a distance.

Last fall I finally found the Camellia sasanqua ‘Cotton Candy’ a favorite of my dear late friend Margaret Moseley. It was one she had recommended to me many years ago when I first started my garden, but I was never able to locate it. When it starts to bloom I will post a photo. I know Margaret would be pleased. Still on the lookout for Camellia ‘Martha’s Dream’ yet another of her early blooming favorites.

Camellia ‘Daydream’ which I rescued from a compost heap at a nursery. I followed the fragrance and found it. I have never seen it in the trade before or since. Of course the first time I saw it was in Margaret’s garden.

Where do I start? Here we are at the end of April and I’m still accessing the damage from the past winter.

Today they cut down the second Fig Tree…dead . I waited to be sure but there was no hope. The branches snapped off in my hand. Same with all the Gardenia, they look like toast, brown & crunchy! There is one in the cutting garden I hope recovers; the small leafed one Margaret Moseley calls ‘First Love’. Keeping my fingers crossed.

The Hydrangea macrophylla are pushing new growth from the roots. All the top growth is dead. There will be no flowers this season.

I am hoping the Penny Mac’s, will produce. They bloomed on new wood (i.e. current seasons growth) in my friend Penny’s garden for whom it was named.

Penny McHenry

(I wonder if it was because she grew them in full sun. They always looked wilted during the day but at 6 pm her garden was transformed into the Hydrangea Heaven it was.)

To add insult to injury a huge old Oak in the Wordsworth Meadow was uprooted last week in the wind storm.

That is my 6′ 4″ husband in front of the rootball.(below)

Now that the second shoe has fallen I’m left wondering what else could possibly go wrong. I’m holding my breath!

Forgot to mention the entire countryside was without power for the day since it brought down the power line.

Still there were many nice surprises. Who knew Stachyurus praecox was so hardy? I was sure she would succumb to the low temperatures. ( This is yet another shrub commonly known as “Yellow Bells’)

The meadow is marvelous with the native Phlox (Phlox divaricata) & Trilliums (Trillium cuneatum) that follow the spent daffodils …

and the Viburnums are doing beautifully. This however, is another post.

I am suffering from Daffodil envy.

This morning I opened the computer and found the following photos on one of my favorite blogs THE GALLOPING GARDENER.

And here I was feeling so proud of the Wordsworth Meadow!

Nevertheless, scenes like this were my inspiration.

The photos were taken at The Valley Garden in Surrey England by Charlotte Weychan. Charlotte travels and visits fabulous gardens. Check her blog for a wonderful armchair visit to some of the best gardens.

I better get busy sourcing and planting. I think I need several lifetimes to achieve something like this!